XMen 3: Rise Of The Sentinels
by Lil Lady Lost
Summary: Potentially the most powerful mutant on the planet is seeking revenge on Xavier, but she's not the only one hunting mutants. The sentinels are coming. Will love flourish in a time when no mutants are safe? LoganWanda, RogueRemmy
1. Chapter 1

'_The world we live in is ever changing. Time changes, seasons change, people, animals, plants, landscapes all steadily changing from one day to the next. Nothing ever stays the same. Even the highest mountain, inhabiting the sky for millennia, is subject to change by the smallest of things, water. Frost boroughs down into crevasses, chipping away at the surface, changing what once seemed so solid forever more. Sometimes change takes centuries, millenniums, slowly morphing from one thing to the next. But sometimes what should take an age happens in an instant, changing the world as we know it irreversibly and causing mass panic. Such is the mutant phenomena. _

'_Seemingly overnight thousands of people with astonishing powers appeared across the globe. A child in Africa who could outpace the wind. A man on Mur Island with the appearance of an angel. But, human nature is flawed and what humans do not understand, they fear…' _

Chapter One

Somewhere over New York

December 20 18:24

'_Ladies and gentlemen may I have your attention please. I regret to inform you that due to the sudden snow fall the runways are still blocked despite the landing crew's best efforts to clear them. However, I've been informed that they will be cleared soon and we hope to be touching down sometime in the next half hour.' _A unanimous sigh of frustration filled the plane's crowded cabin as the pilot's voice cut out with a slight crackle. Soon the normal hum of mundane conversation picked up, people conversing not necessarily because they wanted to but purely because at 4000 feet, there was nothing better to do.

The American Air Bowing 747 flying from Toronto to JFK airport had been circling New York for the past hour though, with the practical blizzard going on outside, most passengers were just happy the flight hadn't been diverted. As the plane gently turned for yet another pass over Liberty Island, absurdly dressed air hostesses teetered down the crammed isles, offering drinks and apologetic smiles. Wanda stared out of the frosty window to the vast city below, a hazy black landscape of lights that stretched up into the sky. The statue of Liberty was barely visible to the left; it's newly restored torch blazing in the darkness. The damage from what some called 'a savage mutant attack on the land of freedom' was gone, having been repaired in the eight months that had passed since the incident.

As the heights of Manhattan went by, giving way to Brooklyn, Wanda's attention was reluctantly drawn to the constant stream of noise upheld by the obese businessman to her left. He wore a grey suit stretched over his bulk of a stomach with old stains on his shirt and half undone tie not to mention a few strands of lanky hair on his shoulders which had abandoned the sparse group covering his balding scalp. He seemed to be completely oblivious to the fact that he'd had his flabby elbow jammed in Wanda's side for the entire flight. Or the fact that two people had to talk to make it a conversation. You'd think that if you had blatantly ignored someone for two hours they'd take the hint, you'd think. Wanda had half a mind to gag him with his seat belt. His mouth moved to the rhythm of a series of grunts and belches, accompanied by a smell that was foul if not unholy. Despite her best efforts in the beginning to understand a sentence or two just so she'd know when to scowl or glare, none of it made any sense. There was a vague fragment here and there -"What are ya? snort Some sorta goth or something?"- but on the whole large primates had a better grasp of the English language.

"Miss?" Wanda looked up into a face plastered in orange foundation and blue eye shadow that looked as if it had been applied in the dark. "Can I get you anything?" The airhostess smiled though it never reached her eyes which told a story of snotty nosed brats and angry passengers.

"No…thanks." Wanda added the last as an after thought. She figured the woman had taken enough abuse for the day without Wanda adding her share. The airhostess blinked through a mass of tarantula-esk eyelashes before moving on, though not before Wanda's travelling companion gave her a full armed slap on her ass. The woman merely grimaced as she continued down the isle. Wanda sighed, picking up the battered book that lay open on her lap where her mind had started to wonder. After turning a couple of pages she realised that not a single word had registered in her head so she backtracked and started anew. Minutes passed, an announcement was made that they would soon be landing and before long they touched down on the runway.

Stepping out of the plane's stifling atmosphere which reeked of stale sweat was heaven. Wanda couldn't help but breathe a sigh of relief as she walked down the confined tunnel to the arrivals gate and the spacious airport beyond. People milled around behind scant barriers, welcoming loved ones who exited the terminal. From the corner of her eye Wanda made out her travelling companion being led away by airport security, the airhostess he'd harassed throughout the flight walking alongside them, a stern expression on her face.

"At least something's right in the world." Wanda mused to herself as she started away from the arrivals gate. No one was coming to meet her. Heels clicking against the polished floors as she walked, she pulled her black, wool trench coat tighter around her frame and had donned a set of red leather gloves before she exited into the snow filled night. Filed out in front of the pavement was an endless row of cabs, yellow paint barely peaking out from the slush that covered their hoods as wipers worked over time to ensure drivers could see out of their windows. Pulling up the hood of her coat, Wanda started for the nearest parking lot. Cabs cost money and she had spent most of hers just getting there.

Despite her hood, strands of her black hair still whipped furiously around her face obscuring her vision as she entered the desolate car park. The wind howled, icy gusts sending shivers up her spine as she rubbed her hands together in a vain attempt to keep them warm. "Screw this." Her breath came out in an icy puff as she thrust her hands in front of her, making quicker progress through the rows of buried cars. To any casual observer it might have seemed the four inch deep snow cleared a path before her of its own accord. But there was no one around to see her and, even if there were, they wouldn't see anything with the snow coming down as it was.

Even buried beneath a crisp, white mountain, one car called to Wanda and she hurriedly made her way to it, eager to be out of the cold. Clearing the window without touching the glass she glanced inside and knew she'd hit the jackpot. The car was decked out with a full leather interior, the steering wheel proudly displaying a silver jaguar logo. Pressing her gloved hand against the keyhole, she concentrated for a moment and the door popped open. Wanda jumped back to avoid it hitting her, a huge sheet of ice sliding from it to the ground below. Ducking in quickly, she slammed the door behind her before setting her black, over-the-shoulder back on the seat beside her. After placing her hands on the dashboard, the car dramatically rumbled to life, bringing with it a cool rush of air from the air conditioner which soon warmed up as it spread throughout the cars interior.

Adjusting the rear view mirror to face her she studied her flushed red cheeks and coal rimmed brown eyes before turning it back. There was little she could do about her travel worn appearance and in any case, he would just have to accept her as she was. After giving one last sigh over the fact she resembled an embarrassed racoon, the car started moving, snow that previously encased the hood falling away in great heaps to the ground.

"Shit, you got to be kidding me." Wanda exclaimed in dismay, a patch of lime green paint stunningly visible through the front window. "What kind of sicko buys a lime green jag?" She exclaimed in disgust. Deciding it was too late to bother with getting a different car, she pulled out of the parking lot and onto the icy road, keeping her hands on the wheel purely for show. It wouldn't do to be found out as a mutant now. The slush filled highway was jammed with cars for as far as she could see and after a while she turned on the radio, horror overwhelming her as Fifty Cents 'In Da Club' blared out from a huge set of speakers in the trunk which caused the car to vibrate. "Great, I picked the pimp mobile." Wanda grimaced, lowering the volume and switching it to something just a tad more bearable, namely The Killers. Up ahead, past the variable sea of cars, snow ploughs worked to clear the highway, yellow lights swirling as the queue inched on.

West Chester, New York

21:15

Racing along the roads of the sedate, suburban area that was West Chester, the car screeched, skidding as it turned the corner, barely slowing. It was a nightmare on wheels, a traffic accident waiting to happen, a bat out of hell. It was Wanda. The cosy, three storied houses complete with the stars and stripes of American flags that flapped dully in the heavy breeze and white picket fences went by in a blur as Wanda concentrated on the road, trying not to veer onto the snow covered sidewalk.

The lime green Jag careered along the ice riddled roads, finally entering a long stretch bordered on both sides by tall, snow covered hedges with, unsurprisingly to her, a row of gleaming black spikes poking out from the top. Turning the car sharply, she came to an abrupt halt in front of a pair of large cast iron gates. They bared the entrance to a narrow driveway that disappeared into darkness. On either side were square pillars that the gates were attached to, the one to Wanda's right held an oval shaped, gold coloured plaque proclaiming this 'Xavier's School for Gifted Youngsters'.

With a scowl, Wanda flung the car door open and hurried out into the freezing air, goose pimples erupting on her skin. She headed first for the left pillar atop which was a small surveillance camera and below that, around head height a grey com-box. The camera was the first to go a she waved a hand in the pillar's direction, plummeting to the ground as metal fuzzed and twisted, disappearing into the snow in a mass of sparks. The com-box followed suit, its demise just as abrupt as it vanished below the pillar. Wanda's hands took on a faint ruby glow as she sighed, bringing them together in front of her before, she slowly parted them, the iron gates rattling on their hinges before wrenching themselves away altogether, flinging themselves to become imbedded in the hedges. With a slight smile Wanda re-entered the car which started down the gloomy driveway. The sun having set hours ago, Wanda could barely make anything out despite the dim illumination from the headlights. There was, however, a single tire tread imprinted in the middle of the fresh snow that covered the driveway. Wanda had to firmly banish the idea of a certain English professor on a Harley, bald head glinting in the moonlight.

A soft chuckle turned into wide-eyed wonder as the hedges ended abruptly, giving way to a huge circular front yard covered in snowfall with what she vaguely guessed was a fountain at its centre. The driveway bordered its outer edge, leading to a three story Georgian mansion which loomed up ahead. She left the car a few feet in front of the main door, bracing herself before leaving its warmth for a second time, not that she was in anyway prepared for the icy chill that caressed her cheeks and fluttered along her spine. After a last look at the front yard, the moonlight bathed snow shining; she hurried up to the dark wood, double doors. On the brink of grasping the huge black knocker, she stopped herself; her gloved finger tips an inch from its gleaming surface. What was the point of coming all this way and not making an entrance?

The wind started to howl as Wanda's hands took on a glow, first a soft ruby which soon developed into an intense crimson that illuminated the doorway. She took a deep breath, inhaling snow flakes which melted on her tongue, before the doors exploded into the front hallway, blown clean off their hinges. Shards of plaster, splinters and twinkling fragments of glass swirled in the air as -in perfect synchronicity- the doors hit the partially carpeted entranceway with a thump. The brass door knocker gave a clang as it caught up with the half fixed to the door. Wanda gave a small smile of satisfaction as she pulled down her hood. It would do.

"Hello." Wanda called out, stepping over the destruction scattered over the floor of the deserted entrance hall. She glanced around. Leading directly off the entrance way was what looked to be a library, huge book shelves lining the room's walls, and hurrying out of it were two women. The one who looked to be the older of the two moved to the left side of the fireplace. Although she could have only been in her early thirties at most, she sported freakishly white hair which contrasted heavily with dark tan skin. The younger, who had stayed to the right of the fireplace, also possessed white in her auburn tresses but this was confined to a streak at the front. Maybe white was the new black, Wanda mused.

Both surveyed the decimation of the entrance hall with varied degrees of shock. The older, dressed in a dark cream turtleneck and jeans hardly changed her expression aside from a barely there widening of her eyes. Whereas, the younger, in a long sleeved V-necked green top and brown suede skirt with matching knee length boots was slack jawed as she stared at the giant, gapping hole where the front doors used to be.

"Who are you?" The older inquired sharply, her accent a blend of American and something Wanda couldn't quite place. "Why exactly do you think you have the right to destroy a part of our home?" Wanda sighed, adjusting her tight fitting, red leather gloves.

"Look Thelma, Louise, there are two ways we can do this. Either we all play happy families and you tell me where Xavier is or…" Wanda slowly walked over to one of the tables, picking up a bronze statue of a woman clothed in flowing robes and holding a sphere aloft. "…or I kick both your sorry asses and force you to tell me." She put down the statue and walked back to the centre of the room. "It's up to you."

"What makes you think you'll even be able to touch us?" The older asked her head cocked to the side as her brown eyes started to cloud over till they showed white all the way round. Wanda smirked.

"I was hoping you'd ask." The younger of the two -having removed the brown glove from her right hand- started towards Wanda. The other took a step forward than hesitated. Wanda's hands glowed crimson. Two feet before she reached Wanda, the younger was swept away by a wall side table, Wanda moving her hand till the girl was pinned against the wood panelling. She struggled in vain to get free as the chandelier started to shake violently. Paintings, one of a garden in autumn painted in the style of Monet, flew off the wall to join the spinning masses of statuettes, vases and any number of other decorative objects that whirled through the air. To Wanda's right, a large crack crept up the wall as the flattened double doors rumbled noisily against the trembling floor. The older woman looked thoroughly unimpressed.

"Is that all?" She taunted her eyes devoid of colour. Wanda suddenly had the wind knocked out of her as an icy gust blew in from the monumental hole leading to the outside of the mansion. It penetrated the layers of clothing she had on like a knife through butter. One by one the objects whizzing through the air dropped, thudding on the polished floors or -in the case of the more fragile objects- shattering as Wanda lost focus. Despite labouring against the blizzard swirling around her, Wanda's legs were forced tight together, her arms pinned at her sides. The woman approached, sensing her seemingly inevitable victory. Wanda could barely breathe, each breath an icy dagger slashing her throat. The cold stinging her eyes, she was lifted four feet off the ground parallel to the weather witch raising her hands. "Now, what was it you were saying?" She inquired, her voice drenched in smug satisfaction.

"No…no way…am I going….going to be upstaged b-by…by…some p-pre-Madonna with a bad…bad d-dye job." Wanda had to force the words out through chattering teeth. It took all of her strength to pull her right arm and inch from her suspended body. Battling to keep it there, the crimson haze enveloped her hand once more. A Persian blue and red runner that stretched from one doorway to another started to ripple before it rose off the ground to soar through the air. It caught the woman off guard, her face overwhelmed with a look of terror as it wrapped itself around her. Wanda dropped from the air abruptly though still managed to force a tall lamp that had been previously knocked over in the chaos to roll across the floor, snaking itself around the woman's torso. Sighing, she picked herself off the floor then proceeded to brush stray strands of hair from her eyes.

"Hey kid, need any help?" A tall, dark haired man that despite the season wore only a scraggly, dark blue t-shirt and jeans over cowboy boots appeared from the corridor opposite the library. Despite the biting chill and the destruction he didn't seem phased in the slightest.

"It's about time yeh got here." The young woman –who'd managed to pry herself free when the weather witch had momentarily impeded Wanda's concentration-responded.

"Get Ororo." He tilted his head towards the trapped woman, who was freaking out, thrashing against her confines in a futile attempt to escape. A shrill scream was partially muffled by the rug. "I'll take care of our unwanted guest." He gave Wanda a glare which she returned coldly.

"You sure about that, _pretty boy_?" Winters heart was warmer than her voice. "You don't look anything special."

"Bring it on, _Bub_." He growled, crossing his hand over his chest. Without warning six, foot long, steel blades, three on either hand, shot out to the combined sound of ripping flesh and metal grinding. Wanda suppressed a slight shudder. They glinted dangerously in the firelight as he took up a stance a few feet in front of the fireplace, hands at chest level, feet spaced a metre apart. Maybe he did look just a little menacing. Just a _little_. Without a second thought Wanda's hands became fully immersed in the pulsing crimson glow before she finally responded to the imposing man's previous request.

"If you insist." She jeered. The immense chandelier, already looking a little worse for wear, began to tinkle softly. Wanda gradually raised her hands before dropping them swiftly causing the chandelier to be violently wrenched from its fittings. The room was plummeted into shadow, the only light present coming from the fireplace. Despite the uproar, the flames had yet to be extinguished. Leisurely raising her hands a second time caused the chandelier to rotate gently, the prisms still chiming as they knocked against one another. The man's dark eyes were fixated on the rotating glass prisms glittering in the pale illumination cast by the fire. Still rotating, the prisms started to detach themselves from their settings like petals being plucked from a flower till they were slowly dancing around the naked frame of the chandelier which now only held a few pitiful light bulbs.

All of a sudden, Wanda jerked her right hand down causing half the prisms to fly at the tall stranger. He dived forward, narrowly avoiding them before they smashed against the back of the fireplace. They were soon replaced as Wanda brought her hand down once more but, just as before, he managed to avoid them. Time and again Wanda sent the small, glass projectiles hurtling towards him yet each time he managed to avoid being hit by less than a hair's breath. Worse, he was getting closer. A last ditch effort amounted to naught as the remainder of the glass prisms smashed against the dark wood panelling, missing the man by millimetres as he dashed the last two metres to stand behind Wanda, a muscular arm wrapping round her shoulders as cold steel met the flesh of her neck.

"Don't you dare make a move or I swear I'll slit that pretty throat of yours." He whispered huskily next to her ear, his hot breath warming her flushed cheek. "Rogue," He addressed the girl leaning over the encased woman. "How's Ororo?"

"Ah can't get her out, Logan." Her tone was desperate. "Deh lamp's fused right roun'." Another shrill scream emanated from the confines of the rug. "Ah need help."

"Kinda busy, kid." He gripped Wanda closer to his chest, her eyes widening as the blades shifted slightly a bare centimetre from her jugular. Despite the man's earlier exertion his torso rose and fell steadily, matching his breath against Wanda's ear. The only hint that he had strained himself in the slightest was the hint of sweat under the nearly overwhelming scent of his aftershave.

"Ah know, but Ororo hates confined spaces an' if we don' get her outta there she's gonna lose it!" He growled.

"Alright, listen up, missy." Wanda assumed he was addressing her. "You're gonna get her out or you ain't gonna live to see the next five minutes. Got it?"

"I need my hands free." Wanda stated shortly, hardly daring to breathe in case the blades inadvertently sliced into her neck. The man must have looked reluctant because the girl said:

"Jus' do it, Logan." After a tense moment he loosened his constricting grip around Wanda's shoulders and she shrugged his other hand off, attempting to ignore the sharp blades which still glinted hazardously. Swathed in shadows, the man trailed her as she took a few unhurried steps toward the imprisoned woman, glass crunching beneath the heels of Wanda's red leather boots. Half way there, Wanda paused and, turning to the man –who she had to admit in the right light was rather attractive- smirked.

"Bad move." He didn't have time to react as a still intact urn crashed into his midriff, sending him flying. He hit one of the dark wood, double doors with a dull thud. Wanda whipped her hands up, sending both him and the door hurtling towards the ceiling with a wumpf of air and a slight sucking sound. She whisked round to face the girl, the only member of their three person team still uninhibited. "No one is going to help you any more so I suggest you do the smart thing and tell me where Xavier is or else you'll end up like your friends." The younger woman glared fiercely at her.

"Ah don' know where deh professor is."

"He's here, isn't he?" Wanda ignored her statement, glancing towards the stairs leading to the first floor. "Xavier." She shouted. There was silence apart from a whimpering from the rug and the sound of steel clawing into plaster. "Xavier." Wanda repeated, this time louder. "I know you can hear me." Silence. "Charles!" She screamed, the house trembling, the sparse glass left in the smashed windows falling to shatter on the ground.

"Wanda! That is quite enough!" A stern voice with a British accent originated from behind her. Wanda spun on her heel to face him.

"Xavier." She cooed, addressing the well dressed man in a sleek, steel wheelchair. Behind him to one side stood a man covered in a long, black coat that shimmered in the firelight, his hood concealing his face in shadows. "I wasn't sure you'd recognise me seeing as it's been what? Almost sixteen years?"

"Wanda, release Ororo." It was a command, not a request. Wanda gave him a glare that would have curdled milk.

"Why should I? She attacked _me_!"

"She was merely protecting her home and you know that. Now release her." After a moment Wanda rolled her eyes and waved a faintly glowing hand in the woman's direction, causing the lamp to straighten itself, screeching as it did. The young woman barely had time to unroll the carpet before the older struggled free, coughing and rasping, her clothes in disarray, her white hair a dishevelled mess. "Now Logan." Xavier commanded.

"Sure." She grinned evilly.

"Wanda!" Xavier chided as the door and its passenger plummeted suddenly, halting a foot off the ground.

"Oh, you're no fun, Charles. Not that you ever were." Wanda sighed as Logan stood up, cracking either side of his neck as the foot long blades slipped back under his skin, the marks they left between his knuckles fading almost instantly. As soon as he'd put both feet back on the ground, the previously suspended door slammed against the floor of the partially carpeted entranceway, cold air gusting through the room. Logan gave a quick glance back before curling his lip in a snarl. Wanda icily regarded him for a moment but said nothing.

"Why are you here, Wanda?" Xavier moved forward, unfazed by her outward show of hostility.

"Don't play dumb, Charles." She quipped. "It doesn't suit you, especially when you know _exactly_ why I'm here."

"Woah…" A blond haired youth who'd just entered through the barren doorway exclaimed. Dressed in a grey jacket and jeans, he was approximately the same age as the girl who, at that particular moment, stood comforting the older woman whilst glaring at him. "What happened?"

"Bobby!" She hissed, frantically motioning with her free hand for him to shut up. He gave her a slightly sullen look but failed to utter another word.

"Look, Charles, I couldn't care less about your _X-men_." She spat the word out as if it left a vile taste in her mouth. "You know what I want and you're going to give it to me. You owe me that much." After taking a deep breath Xavier nodded reluctantly.

"But no more of these _antics_, Wanda." She shook her head slightly, a twinkle in her large, brown eyes.

"I was just doing them a favour," Her read lips quirked in a half smile. "It's obvious they need the practise." The professor ignored her comment though Logan and the weather witch looked about ready to ring her neck.

"Rogue, help Ororo to her room and Logan, get Peter to help you with the doors. We'll have to see about the windows tomorrow. Wanda, Bobby will show you to my study. Now, Kurt, if you wouldn't mind?" Upon address, the man in the dark coat moved directly behind Xavier, taking hold of the wheelchair as they both vanished in a puff of pale blue smoke. Wanda was left along in the entranceway with four of them.

"So, you're the X-men." She stated, casually removing her red, leather gloves, finger by delicate finger. "I'm quite disappointed to say the least. The way you've been praised on television I figured it might be at least somewhat challenging to break into the mansion. Yet what happens when I get here? You give me a lot of attitude with nothing to back it up. Pathetic really." She finished, tucking the gloves into one pocket before brushing debris from her shoulders.

"Logan." The girl called as he started towards Wanda. He hesitated a moment before exiting the entrance hall via one of the corridors leading off from it.

"You gonna be okay be okay getting Ororo upstairs?" The young man asked the girl.

"Ah'll be fine." She nodded, slipping the woman's arm around her shoulders

"Hey, Skippy." Wanda addressed him. "I don't have all day." He grimaced, cast one last look at the girl and started for a short set of stairs with an iron railing cast in shapes of creeping vines sprouting lush leaves. Wanda gave both the girl and the older woman a sly smile before following him, catching up in a long corridor, door after door lining the sandy papered walls.

A row of lights hanging from the arched ceiling was reflected in the highly polished floor, its dark wood matched by that of the panels and square pillars that covered a considerable amount of the wall space as well as the window frames, display cabinets, chairs and small tables that lined the corridor. As with the entrance, tall white urns embellished in blue stood to either sides of most of the double doorways and on each table was placed a white lamp, a chair upholstered in pale blue to the side. In fact, the only thing that wasn't blue, white or dark brown were the small, flowing plants scattered on just about every other table.

Not far down the corridor they came to a waiting area that branched out from the corridor, a large stairway opposite. It was decorated in the same style as the rest of the hallway, white couches spaced here and there, a large window looking out into the black sky. They stopped, the boy –well, man really, but he had a constant boyish twinkle in his ice blue eyes- turned to her.

"What did we do to you?" He glared at her defiantly.

"You're the X-Men." She replied. "That's more than enough."

"Not for me. Not for any of us." The boy stood as if to block her path, crossing his arms over his chest.

"I'd think twice before doing anything, Skippy. If your friends couldn't stop me I don't see how there's a chance in hell you'll be able to."

"I'll do what I have to." A sudden chill filled the already brisk air making Wanda's skin erupt in goose bumps all over again. The boyish twinkle was replaced by a dangerous glint. Wanda's breath came out in an icy puff yet the boy seemed unfazed by the sudden drop in temperature. She copied his stance, crossing her arms beneath her breasts whilst tilting her head to the side.

"Look kid, I'm not gonna fight you. The fact is you're pretty brave for standing up to me when it's obvious you're not my match. But that will only get you so far. Now move." He didn't even blink. "_Move._" Sighing before dropping his arms he turned, walking to a door that one might not have noticed if they weren't looking for it and twisted the handle before pushing it open. Slipping past him, Wanda entered Xavier's study, the boy shutting the door the moment she was inside.

The décor of the room matched that of the hallway. Nearest to Wanda a set of cube shaped, white couches were arranged around a circular, glass coffee table and to either side of her stood a pedestal, the one to her left displaying an odd diamond sculpture which appeared to be made from pine, the one to her right a statue of a reclining nude, the woman's gaze fixed upwards. Beyond the glass table, a desk was situated on the pale blue carpet in the middle of an arc of windows, a chair with blue upholstery embroidered in vines situated on her side of it. It was the perfect example of tasteful decadence, not that she'd expect anything less from Charles Xavier. The man himself was in front of the large, white framed windows, the glass of which was coated in condensation, so much so that she couldn't have even begun to guess what he was staring at so intensely.

"Please Wanda, come in and sit down." He let go of the filmy curtain he was holding and spun to face her, the mechanics in his wheelchair whirring as he did. His demeanour was somewhat warmer than it had been a few minutes previous. Don't worry Charles; I'm not planning on staying long." She walked forward a few steps, stopping well short of the desk. "All I want is for you to tell me where my…" She hesitated. "…my father is and I'll be more than happy to leave." The mechanics hummed again as he came to sit behind the desk, sighing.

"Wanda, what would you do if you found your father?"

"That's none of your business Charles, but I think you could make an educated guess."

"That is precisely why I have my reservations about helping you, even though Erik deserves whatever it is you might feel the need to do to him, no matter how unpleasant."

"If you think it's because he's too powerful for me to handle than-"

"No, that's not it." He sighed again. "The simple truth is that I cannot find him. You see, Erik long ago developed ways of shielding himself from my abilities and the last time I saw him was over five months ago. After that he simply…vanished." He took a deep breath.

"That's just not good enough." Wanda snapped.

"My dear, listen-"

"No! You listen!" She cut him off, the glow around her hands washing the room in crimson light. "Because of him, my mother died alone. Because of him, my brother and I were taken away from parents who actually loved us and instead got a father who was never there." Wanda's tone was flooded with bitterness. The walls started to shake, the diamond structure hitting the floor with a thump. "Because of him, I was imprisoned in an institution for fourteen years, most of that time spent in solitary confinement. I was scared and alone and no one was there for me!" She was shouting now.

A sudden puff of pale blue smoke announced the arrival of the darkly clad figure from earlier, a steaming pot in one of his blue, three fingered hands. "Leave!" Wanda flung a hand out and he disappeared before one of the heavy, blue padded chairs collided with his head. "And out of everyone I _knew_ I could trust you to dissuade him from his madness! To convince him not to put me there! But you just _helped_ him!" A bookstand fell over, as did the pedestal holding the statue of the reclining woman, carrying the statue down with it. "For all of your teachings about equality and acceptance I was shunned as yours and my father's _dirty little secret!_" A milk jug on a small table to the right cracked, spilling its contains across the table top.

"I was forgotten! Nobody cared!" A pane of glass in the window shattered, others trembling furiously. "Nobody…nobody…" Wanda trailed off. Her mind felt fogy all of a sudden, her words lost as she tried to remain vertical. "What…what are you doing to me?" She managed to get out, a hand pressed to her head as she swayed slightly. "St…stop using…your…" Xavier's eyes were closed, one hand on his temple, the other outstretched towards her. "Charles please, not…not again…" Wanda's eyelids felt as if they were being dragged down, her knees buckled beneath her. "I won't…I…won't go back there…"She pushed herself onto her hands but her arms felt like toothpicks and she knew it wouldn't be long before she lost conciseness. "Please…" It was barely a whisper as everything went black.

A.N. Please read! You only have to do it once! And I'll give you cookies!

K, the reason I'm writing this fic is for two reasons 1) I have not been able to find a single decent X-Men movie fanfic cus the people who seem to be writing them are just those have seen the film once or twice and thought it would be a good idea to write a fic. It was not. You need to have at least a vague knowledge of the history of the x-men to rely on which very few writers seem to posses. As I think the movies were half decent adaptations (and Hugh Jackman is hot wipes drool from mouth) I've decided to write a possible sequel. Reason 2) WHERE THE FUCK IS REMY! Bryan Singer just happened leave out potential the hottest character and now writers are paring Rogue with Logan (NO! IT IS WRONG! He's far too old!) or Bobby (lame) when he should know that Remy and Rogue are destined to be together (yes, I am a hopeless romantic) and he should NOT fuck with it. breathes deeply. Okay, so if you need a visual about Wanda, if she had to be played by someone I'd pick Rose McGowan cus she's the right age, quite attractive and quirky. If you have any suggestions, feel free, constructive criticism is always welcome. If it's just a flame that only tells me you're either too scared or too dumb to actually tell me what I've done wrong. Thankies for staying with me on my rant!

Remember: Review! Tell me I'm fabulous and I'll write quicker!


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter Two

X-Mansion, West Chester

December 20 21:50

"That's it, I'm goin' up there." Logan made for the steps that led to the large corridor Xavier's study led off of.

"You sure that's wise, Logan?" Piotr asked, holding up one of the large double doors in a single hand. The hinges on it were in a sorry state and here and there what looked to be claw marks patterned its otherwise smooth surface. "I mean, I'm sure the Professor can take care of himself." He stated his English tinged with a Russian accent. Logan hesitated for the briefest of seconds.

"Maybe you're right, kid, but I ain't willing to take that chance." With that he cleared the few steps in one bound, jogging down the corridor and entering through the door without so much as a knock. The study for the most part resembled the wrecked entranceway, chairs knocked over with legs missing, glass littering the floor, just generally in a complete and utter state of disarray. Lying in the midst of it all, her long, slightly curled, black hair arrayed around her was the woman, the Professor at her side.

"As always Logan, your timing is impeccable." Logan's eyebrow twitched and he rubbed the back of his neck. "I believe that the guest room adjacent to yours is still vacant and I would appreciate it if you could take our guest there."

"Our _guest_? You make it sound like she might be crashing here for a while."

"I hope Wanda will stay a couple of days, yes." Xavier nodded.

"You sure bout that, Chuck? That chick's dangerous an' I'd hate to see one of the kids get hurt just cus she wakes up with a major headache an' decides to take it out on us."

"I understand your concerns, Logan. However, I do not think Wanda would go so far as to injure one of the children, or behave in such a manner if a student was around. She may be angry, but she is not evil." He sighed, rubbing a temple with two fingertips. "No, take her upstairs then come to the living room, there are a few things that everyone needs to be made aware of should Wanda decide to stay with us."

"I know this is your place, Chuck, but you can't seriously be thinking about taking her in, she's a head case."

"I assure you, Logan; my reasoning will become clear soon enough. Besides, I believe that you were somewhat…_hostile _when you first entered the mansion." Logan humpfed, crossing his arms. "In any case, we should make her comfortable; I highly doubt the study floor is the best place to spend the night."

"You better be right bout this, Chuck." Logan stated, uncrossing his arms than bending down, slipping one muscular arm beneath her neck, the other under her knees before hefting her up to chest height. Wanda didn't even stir, her head lolling back against his arm, her glossy hair spilling down towards the floor. Professor Xavier moved to open the door, mechanics whirring, and Logan slipped out, careful not to hit the woman's head on the wooden door frame. "What did you do to knock her out? I've seen corpses with more life in 'em." He stated, walking down the hall with Xavier at his side. Her body was limp in his arms and he hefted her again to prevent her slipping.

"She is sleeping, or at least doing something like it, though it is far deeper than one could achieve naturally. In any case she'll be fine in the morning."

"If you say so, Chuck." He said as the Professor turned away and Logan headed for the elevator. After a moment waiting, the doors swished open and he stepped in, nudging the first floor button with an outstretched finger. The doors closed and the elevator started its ascent. With nothing better to do, he studied the woman's face, or at least what he could see of it due to the angle it was at. She had a softly pointed chin with the barest hint of a cleft at its centre and beyond that a pair of full, cherry red lips which contrasted heavily with her pale ivory skin. His eyes travelled down though, beyond her neck, there was little else to see, the rest of her body concealed by her long black coat. In the confinement of the elevator her perfume seemed to fill the air though he'd noticed it once before whilst he'd restrained her. It was heavy, sweet with a spicy tinge. It made his skin crawl; reminding him of the woman he could never forget. Though _she_ had worn one that was far lighter, that reminded him of a flower picked after rainfall.

The doors opened again, the harsh light from the elevator standing out against that of the hall. Not far down the polished floored corridor, he passed the room he'd stayed in since coming to the mansion eight months previously and carried on till he reached the room next to it. To his knowledge it had been unoccupied since his arrival, a rare occurrence in a place where most of the rooms were inhabited by at least three people. With a degree of difficulty, he stretched out the hand under Wanda's neck and pushed the handle of one of the double doors down, musty air filling his nostrils as he entered.

The décor matched that of his own room, sandy wall paper where the walls didn't have red wood panels, a square framed mirror behind a small dresser up ahead, not far down from that a door which he knew would lead to the en-suit bathroom. To the right, a large built in cupboard covered half the wall next to the double doorway and against the left wall was the double bed, opposite that a huge, square window. Aside from that there were a few lamps and the usual brick-a-brack that always found its way onto any surface in the mansion. After laying her on the bed, he exited the room, shutting the door behind him.

"Who's she?" Logan jumped at the sudden voice behind him.

"You shouldn't sneak up on people, kid." He chided, annoyed that someone had actually managed to. Lance –a lanky youth with limp brown hair- smiled in a way that was more than a little disconcerting. "What's it to you anyway?"

"I just wanted to have a look." He stated peering past Logan's shoulder despite the fact the doors were firmly closed. "Bobby said she…" He trailed off, finally noticing the warning look in Logan's eyes. "Never mind."

"Come on, Xavier's called a meeting an' I'm sure it'd be a real shame if you missed it."

"Oh, I don't think he'd miss me." Lance retorted, still stealing glances at the door.

"Look, kid, he's called everyone, that means_ you_ too."

"…yeah, I suppose." He mumbled as they started towards the stairs at the end of the hall. "Did she really do all that damage downstairs? It looks worse than when military crashed this place. The doors were knocked right off and they weigh a ton. Not even Storm could do that." Logan sniffed.

"You ain't seen Storm when she's pissed but yeah, that woman's packing some serious power."

"Why'd you think she's here? You think Xavier did something and now she wants revenge?"

"Couldn't say." Logan replied curtly as they entered the living room where the household had gathered, X-men sat on the couch and chairs, students lining the walls or sitting on the carpeted floor. Despite the subsequent number present this was barely half the usual number. The other students had returned home for the holidays, those who actually had homes to go back to. However, a few of the older students such as Kitty and Amara had stayed behind to help look after the orphans but, perhaps in part, it was because to them this felt more like home than home. "Why don't you ask the professor?" He suggested to the youth.

"Ask me what, Lance?"

"Oh, erm, don't worry bout it." He replied nervously, skulking off to a corner.

"In that case I'll begin." Charles took a moment before continuing, steepling his hands as he arranged his thoughts. "The reason that I've called you all here is that a woman who I have been expecting for sometime has arrived and is to be staying with us for the foreseeable future. Do not be alarmed by her earlier actions, so long as you do not pose a threat, which none of you do, she will not harm you. However, I would advise caution when dealing with her, Wanda is easily agitated not to mention erratic and her powers are immeasurable, so much so I doubt any of you would be in any real position to protect yourselves. Are there any questions?"

"Um, Professor, if you don't mind me asking," Piotr started hesitantly. "What is she doing here? Is she going to become an X-Man?"

"I highly doubt that, Piotr. No, like you Wanda has come because she is looking for a place where she can learn to control her gifts without hurting others or being seen as an outcast. If there is nothing else?" The room was silent. "In that case Kitty, Jubilee, you two get to clean up the hall as punishment for that little stunt you pulled."

"Ah, man!" Kitty whined. "I told you he'd find out."

"Hey! It was your idea too!" Jubilee retorted.

"It doesn't matter whose fault it was," the Professor broke in. "Just make sure that the floor is spotless before you two go to bed and remember to be careful of the glass."

"Yes Professor." They chorused.

"Good, now everyone excluding the X-Men may leave, curfew is in ten minutes and I don't want any of you roaming the halls trying to get a peek into Wanda's room." Lance's eyes dropped to the ground and as the young residents of the house exited reluctantly, he was at the head of the queue. A few of the students glanced back as they left, eager to listen in on a conversation that was not for their ears. Logan slid the doors shut as the last student went then stood next to the chair Storm was sat in, taking up his usual stance, arms crossed, feet slightly apart. A wolf ready to pounce. All the X-Men were present, Bobby, Rogue, Kurt, all except for Scott and…

"I'm sure you're all wondering why I'd let a mutant who is not only dangerous but bares immense hostility towards the X-Men remain here.

"It is slightly bewildering, Charles." Ororo stated softly, still a little rattled from the earlier encounter.

"Then I suppose its best I start from the beginning." He moved into the centre of the room since it had been vacated. "Wanda is Magneto's daughter." He stated simply. There were a few gasps; even Logan felt his mouth drop open, shutting it with a snap when he realised he was gaping.

"Ah thought ah recognised her," Rogue stated. "Ah jus' couldn' figure out where from. Ah guess it musta been from deh memories ah absorbed from Magneto on Liberty Island."

"Indeed, Wanda and her twin brother were born in a small eastern European country called Transia. Their mother, Magda, had fled from Erik on discovery of his mutant abilities meaning that when she died hours after labour, the twins were adopted by a family called the Maximoff's. I only learnt that Erik was a father after he came to ask for my assistance in finding Wanda and Pietro and I got the impression he hadn't quite accepted that fact yet either. However, he was adamant about finding them so, despite my doubts about his capacity as a parent; I thought that becoming one might make him reconsider his aggressive stand on human mutant relations. So, I found them…" The Professor trailed off. You didn't have to be psyche to realise it was a decision he regretted. Professor Charles Xavier was rarely lost for words.

"They were happy with the Maximoff's and I was more than hesitant about letting Erik remove them from the only family they'd ever known. However, even at six years of age their mutant abilities had already manifested themselves and it was obvious to both Erik and I that the Maximoff's would be unable to cope with the twins when their powers developed. So Erik took them back to America." A pause. "But he was never very good with children." A ghost of a smile crossed the Professors lips. "Therefore, the twins spent the majority of there time here at the mansion and before long it became obvious that Erik was trying to shirk his responsibilities as a parent. Yet, I felt that if they were left with him for longer periods of time they might develop the same contempt for humans that he holds to this day. Not to mention the fact I felt somewhat responsible for them." He sighed.

"When the twins reached eleven, Wanda's abilities grew unpredictable, when she lost her temper more often than not one or two windows shattered or the house shook, though at times she didn't even have to get irritated. Neither Erik nor I knew how to help her; we'd already tried every method we knew to assist her in controlling her gifts, so she just became more frustrated. In the end it escalated to such an extent that she ended up injuring a number of people and nearly killing herself. Meaning that after she recovered, Erik decided it might be best if he send her somewhere where Wanda wouldn't be a danger to anyone." The Professor paused again.

"The last time I saw Wanda, she was being taken to a specialized institution in Detroit. That was sixteen years ago. I'm ashamed to say that in all those years I never once visited her. Perhaps it was the fact that I was consumed by my work helping the other mutants in my care. Yet a part of me knows it was simply because I didn't want to admit that I'd failed her. It was partially due to that that I formed the X-Men; I didn't want any other mutant to suffer her fate purely because I didn't have the means to help them."

"So what you're saying, Chuck is that she's here for to settle the score cus you helped to lock her up for sixteen years." Logan stated bluntly.

"Not quite, though I have to admit that at first I thought the same. Wanda wants to find her father and I'm sure you can imagine what she'll do if she does."

"So why not let her?" Bobby asked, sitting forward on the couch he shared with Rogue. "It's nothing he doesn't deserve."

"True, yet Wanda's abilities have virtually unlimited potential. Were her and Erik to clash in a populated area it might be devastating; thousands of innocents would die simply to resolve her feud."

"But zat still does not explain vy you are let'tink her stay here ven it seemz obvious she holdz an extreme dizlike for zis place." Kurt –the newest member of the team- stated, half hidden in a shadow riddled corner of the room.

"I suppose it is partially out of guilt, yet partially because I feel I am better equipped to help her cope with her gifts due to my experiences over the time she was…away."

"No offence, Chuck, but I think she's managed that all on her own."

"I agree, Logan, that from the outside she appears more than capable, but inside she is fighting a battle against the side of her that would fully unleash her power. A battle that without help, she will not win."

"Alright Charles, we trust you." Ororo stated. "I just hope you can save her before it's too late."

With those last sombre words the meeting ended and one by one the X-Men left. Out in the foyer Kitty and Jubilee were busy sweeping up the fragments of glass and porcelain that littered the floor. The large burgundy rug that usually inhabited the centre of the room was rolled up next to the now empty fireplace. Tables and chairs were scattered here and there and the incessant sound from a mechanical screwdriver filled the air, alerting Logan to Piotr's presence. He was still attempting to attach the doors to what was left of the doorway.

"How's it goin'?" He asked, standing next to him.

"I think I can get them to stay up for now but we're going to have to get a professional in." Logan nodded before walking off. Heading to the basement, he had a quick workout in the gym, using up what energy he had left. It was a nightly routine, one that he kept to if he wanted a chance of getting any sleep. Otherwise the nightmares came and even being completely exhausted didn't always keep them at bay. Worn-out, he returned to his room, flicking on the light switch next to his door as he entered the spacious room. Logan had never grown accustomed to the idea of settling down anywhere, but he figured that, for now, this place was as good as any. Besides, with Scott and…well, he liked to think that they needed him.

Removing his dark blue t-shirt which showed patches of perspiration, he threw it on the bed, heading for the bathroom. Ensuring his room was in a perpetual state of disarray was one of the ways he copied with the normality of staying put for any length of time. Well, that was what he told the Professor anyway. Water poured down as he twiddled one of the taps on the shower, steam rising as it heated up. Leaving the rest of his clothes on the bathroom floor, he stepped in, hot water pounding down on his sweat slicked skin. His muscles relaxed as warmth surged onto him and, arms out; he leant against the tiled wall, stepping out minutes later and drying off, ditching the wet towel on the floor where he usually did. Replacing his boxers with a clean pair, he walked to the mirror, wiping off the layer of condensation with a palm.

Ageless eyes stared back at him and –not for the first time- he wondered how old he was. Fifty? One hundred? He didn't know, he might never. Despite finding Striker he still didn't know his identity, or more precisely, his identity before the experiment. Striker had said it was better if he didn't know, but anything was preferable to the eternal state of limbo he was in. The constant search for the unknown. Striker was the only link back to his past life and now that he was gone, so was Logan's hope. The desire to uncover his past was still there, but he'd been too busy helping out with the students to even think of beginning his search anew. Sometimes he thought that he should just forget about it, concentrate on building a new life, but every time he did those hazy memories beckoned from the dark corners of his mind.

Back in his room he donned a pair of jogging bottoms, turned off the lights and climbed under the jumbled covers. For a while he stared up at the ceiling, arms behind his head, thinking of nothing in particular. Logan knew it was going to be one of those nights, where the dream came to him. Months back he used to dream of the experiment, men in suits with needles, the pool he'd been submerged in, the shear agony that having adamantium grafted to his skeleton had caused him. But now it had been replaced with one that caused him far greater pain. One where the wall of water hit her, where he was powerless to do anything, just as he'd been then, and her lifeless body rotted at the bottom of the lake. Coldly beautiful, red hair framing a starkly pale face with pale blue lips. But those eyes, their murky green depths once so warm now only stared at him with icy accusation. He'd never fucking see her again, never.

Restless, he sat up, swinging his legs over the side of the bed. The house was dead silent as he walked into the corridor, most if not all of the students already asleep. He intended to walk downstairs, have a smoke or watch a few mindless hours of TV, but he hesitated, looking at the room adjacent to his. Before he knew what he was doing he'd stepped into the hushed room. It was completely dark aside from a hint of moonlight that crept in through the large window. Closing the door quietly behind him, he walked to the bedside lamp, Wanda's prone form illuminated as the faint light it cast lit up the room.

She looked exactly the same as when he'd left her, hadn't moved a centimetre. He'd decided she was pretty the moment he'd seen her, not that it made him hesitate in the slightest, but seeing her now made it realise she was far more than that. Striking, was a better description. Even with the small fortune in jewellery that adorned her fingers, ears, neck and wrists –all silver he noted. He couldn't remember what colour her eyes had been, brown maybe, but he was sure they'd only compliment her appearance, whatever shade. Her rosy lips, parted slightly to suck in air, were alluring to say the least.

"You must have taken after your mother." He mused, sitting on the edge of the bed, something he doubtfully would have done had she been anywhere near conscience. "Cus you sure as hell don't look like yer dad." For no reason at all he just sat there, staring at the carpet blankly. "Well, night kid." He got up to leave but on taking a last look at her, stopped. Instead he sat back down, and gripping her left ankle in one hand, proceeded to take off the red leather boot located on that foot. "How the hell do women walk in these things?" He questioned, inspecting it for a moment before throwing it carelessly to the floor then starting on the next. "Like balancing on twigs." Logan had never really understood women in general, but then again he mused, what man did?

After folding half the blanket over her, he left, returning to his room instead of continuing downstairs. Minutes later he had drifted into a restless sleep, plagued by grief, helplessness and the woman he'd never forget.

A.N. Heyo! How's everyone? I don't actually have much to say (makes shocked face)…erm, I'm pretty much going to try and write different chapters from different peoples points of view because I think you get a more well round view of the situation that way n stuff. Just in case you were wondering why I stuck this one in Logan's P.O.V. That's pretty much it I think. Onto reviews.

rapunzel34: Thankies! And still grr to Bryan Singer. As if it wasn't bad enough he practically made Rogue this helpless kid. I see why he didn't, but it sure as hell don't mean I have to like it.

Majinme: Well thought out…I'm hoping it is, kinda sketchy but I'll fill in the gaps along the way.

darkstorm5000: I'm pretty much basing Wanda's character on the one in X-Men Evo…and possibly just a tad of the storyline which is where the whole deep rooted need to impale Magneto comes from. As for the car, I hate those people who go round in those uber tacky sports cars feeling the need to inflict their music tastes on innocent bystanders.

chris-warren876: Hun, step away from the computer and take a big ol breath. Good? K. First of all, I brought in Wanda cus why the hell not? I prefer to write something that hasn't been done before and to my knowledge a Wanda/Logan paring in the X-men movie section hasn't. Don't worry ur lil head, I'll make it work. Secondly, I never said that Wanda WAS the most powerful mutant, I said she had the POTENTIAL to be. See the difference? The fact is seeing as her probability can affect objects, people, ect. She is very powerful though because her abilities are unreliable, no, she isn't the most powerful mutant. As for Logan and David, yes, David is dead and although Logan is basically invincible, he's not actually that powerful if you compare him to someone like magneto. Lastly, yeah, it was kinda out line for me to slag off a load of fics so sorry. But the fact is I hadn't found a really decent X-Men movie fic so I was going on what I knew. I read force of nature and wow, it's good, but the fact is the writer is a hell of a lot older and more experienced than me and it shows…yeah…I don't know what I mean but yeah. K, that was sorta long but I kinda felt I had to justify myself.

P. S. what the hell is wrong with black eyeliner?

Eileen Blazer: Thankies! Ur fab too! Hope this was quick enough for you.

Fyre: Thanks to that rather unsubtle hint at the end of X2 I feel kinda obligated, but its cool cus that just makes for a better story line. As for soon…you'll just have to wait and see.

Admantuimclaws: Love the fact ur enthusiastic, lol. Hope this meets ur expectations 

Ragincajunlover: Love the name ;p unfortunately, the way the plotline is in my head he won't be coming in for a couple of chapters. But I luv him so he's definitely gonna be a main part in the fic. She did kinda kick their arses but to be fair it was only 3 o' them and they were kinda unprepared and only going at her one at a time so I think the fight was in her advantage from the start…not that I planned it that way or anything…


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter Three

X-Mansion, West Chester

December 21 11:09

Brilliant light flooded the spacious bedroom when the sun rose that morning, though it still took a good few hours for the stupor Wanda had been put under to wear off. Her eyes half opened and she yawned, lazily rubbing her nose with the back of one hand. Then sat bolt upright. Where the hell was she? A surge of pain filled her head, black spots peppering her vision, and she instantly regretted sitting up so fast. She groaned, bringing a hand up to her forehead. Had she been on a bender? Grogginess and a murderous headache were only two of the signs but that didn't explain how she'd ended up here… where ever _here _was.

Her vision returning to normal, she surveyed the room she was in, which left her with two questions. One: Who in God's name had decorated this place and had they been apprehended for crimes against interior design? And two: "Who the hell took off my boots?" She voiced the second, looking down at her bare feet. "Oh God." A horrible possibility dawned on her. "Some weirdo with a foot fetish stole my shoes." Stumbling out of bed, she searched the room, which, aside from causing a wave of nausea –the third sign she had a hangover- turned up her boots strewn at the end of the double bed. "Okay, so maybe I'm overreacting." Wanda tried to calm herself, slipping them on. "I mean, at least they didn't take the liberty of removing my clothes." She looked down and after a hasty check that all her garments were still in place, sighed.

"Okay." She said in a tone that exuded purpose. "I remember getting on a plane because…because, um…I was going to see someone. But who? Who…" In her mind both face and name were hazy; trying to grasp them was like trying clutch mist. The unbearable headache didn't help much either. "Okay, that's not going to work. So, I got off the plane…um, and I went somewhere…and I might as just say that _somewhere_ was here. Then…then I met someone…wait, no I met people…no, I _fought_ people! Okay, this is good."

Wanda stood up and started pacing, confident that she was on a roll. "So I fought them…but they weren't just people they were…they were…mutants! They were Mutants!" She exclaimed triumphantly. "I fought them and I trounced them…but then…then someone came…they made me stop. They…they made me angry, no…furious…they made me fall asleep." Time seemed to stop as the memories of what had transpired suddenly came to her in a rush. "Xavier." She whispered then dashed out of the room into an unfamiliar corridor. "Xavier!" Wanda shouted, her voice faintly echoing down the hall. A door opened.

"You alright?" A teenage girl's head poked out, a wayward finger twiddling a lock of short, blonde hair. "Need help or something?"

"Um, where's Xavier?" Wanda inquired, her temper subsiding for the time being.

"I dunno." The girl replied; far too chipper in Wanda's opinion. "But I can help you find him if ya want." She offered, stepping out of the doorway to reveal the fact she was dressed in a pair of purple, pinstriped pyjamas.

"Yeah, um, sure." Wanda agreed, walking down the hall till she drew level with the girl.

"Name's Tabitha." The girl made a show of putting a hand forward which, after a brief moment of hesitation, Wanda took. "You're Wanda or something, right?"

"Right." Her tone was deadpan. Tabitha just smiled and stepped out of the doorway.

"Well, come on, the Prof's bound to be round here somewhere." She stated, walking down the corridor with Wanda following a step behind. "So, um, how'd you like New York?"

"Haven't seen much of it yet unless you count the airport." She replied shortly.

"Well you totally have to, it's amazing, especially at night and it's the best place to shop. It's a total blast. The place where I used to live was a hardcore drag, as foster parents tend to be, they only wanted the monthly check not to mention the fact they counted watching paint dry as a form of entertainment." Wanda simply nodded. "It's just getting out of here that's complicated; the Prof is like a total sucker for rules. But we love him despite that. Hey Kitty!" She called after a girl who'd just phased straight through a wall up ahead of them.

"Yeah huh?" The tall girl with shoulder length, red hair replied.

"Have you seen the Prof?"

"Uh yeah, he was like, downstairs a little while ago or something." She half smiled, casting shy glances in Wanda's direction. "Um, I gotta go. Jubes is waiting for me."

"Sure thing." Tabitha said as the girl disappeared through the opposite wall. "That's Kitty." She explained as they carried on, starting down a wide staircase. At the bottom, a group of boys roughhousing quickly ran the in opposite direction when they saw her and Tabitha coming.

"So how many people actually live here?" Wanda inquired, her curiosity genuinely peaked.

"Um…a lot. Dunno exactly, most of em are just kids which gets kinda annoying, but you deal. There are always new people comin' 'n' going so it's kinda hard to keep count but I guess it's just like having a really, really big family. It's kinda nice." She paused to take a breath as they came to another corridor, the sandy coloured walls seeming vaguely familiar. "But like, a lot of peeps went home for the holidays, so it's mostly just us poor orphans left. But who wants to deal with relatives anyway?" She smiled as they walked down the few steps into a hall with a large fireplace yet scant other decoration aside from a chair or table here and there.

"Um, Pete?" Tabitha addressed the colossal teenager standing in the front doorway who had to have been at least 6"5. Wanda cast an admiring gaze his way; aside from being tall he was also extremely good-looking. The fact that he was using an electric drill to fit a hinge in place meant that Tabitha went unheard despite the fact she called to him another two times. The girl sighed dramatically. Then, very slowly, a dreadfully devious smile crossed her face. "Watch this." She instructed, bringing her right hand up to eye level already a small orb of radiantly bright light forming between her thumb and forefinger.

When it reached the size of a golf ball, Tabitha crept up behind Piotr; stealthily placing the orb in the back pocket of is kakis. He seemed oblivious to any mischief, the drill still boring away in his hands. Well, that was until a small explosion went off, causing that same pocket to be blown clear off his trouser. Startled, he dropped the drill. It made a pathetic noise after it hit the ground and stopped, inert.

"Tabitha!" He scolded harshly, metal plates clinking over his fingers, continuing up his arms towards his bare chest.

"Hey, no need to go psycho, Pete." She backed away, hands in the air. "It was just a lil harmless fun."

"Yeah, it's always harmless, till someone gets hurt."

"Alright, alright, sorry, Pete, just don't bug out, kay? I promise it won't happen again. But, um, do you know where the Prof is?" He rolled his eyes slightly.

"I think I saw him talking to Logan in the kitchen a couple minutes ago." He stated, eyeing Wanda for the briefest of moments.

"Thanks, babe." Tabitha waved behind her as she headed for the corridor opposite the one they'd previously come out of, Wanda on her heels. It didn't take them long to reach a door that was shut. Tabitha turned round, giving Wanda an anxious look.

"What is it?"

"Shut doors usually mean bad vibes." She elaborated, uneasy, but after a slight shrug and a deep breath she spun back round, knocking lightly on the dark wood surface. "Professor?" There was no answer. "Professor?" She tried again, this time opening the door and sticking her head through the gap.

"Yes Tabitha, what is it?" Wanda made out the late and somewhat muffled reply.

"Um, Wanda's here to see you, Professor."

"Oh, good, let her in." He replied and Tabitha obliged, opening the door fully before leaning against it to allow Wanda through.

"Thanks, Tabitha." Wanda said, stepping into the kitchen.

"No worries, it was my pleasure." She waved vaguely before disappearing, the door closing behind her.

"Charles." Wanda spun on her heel to face Xavier but nearly lost her balance when she realised they were not alone. Leaning casually against the table in the middle of the room was Logan. Wanda's confidence dropped a degree or two but she knew that it was all or nothing. "I believe we have unfinished business to discuss."

"Wanda." He sighed. "I don't mean to reiterate myself but you have to understand that I cannot help you locate your father. It is simply possible at this time."

"Cut the crap, Charles. I know that one way or another you have always managed to find my father. Finding people is what you do and frankly, you're pretty good at it." She let out a long exhale. "Look, maybe…maybe you can't locate Magneto, but his groupies are never far away. I'm sure that with…" She hesitated for a moment, frantically searching her memory. "Cerebro you'll be able to find at least one of them, Sabretooth or Mystique." Wanda really wouldn't mind finding Mystique, not at all.

"Wanda…" Xavier started in that tone that generally meant 'no'.

"Charles!" She pleaded. "Why are you protecting him? Last I heard he was trying to turn the entire human race into mutants. Now, I don't necessarily think that's the worst idea, but I know you sure as hell would." She searched his eyes, desperate for a glimmer of hope. "Please, Charles. You failed me once before, don't repeat the mistakes of the past." Xavier regarded her intensely.

"Alright, I'll try, but I'm afraid that's all I can do."

"That's all I'm asking for." She nodded, but in truth she was more than a little disappointed.

"Then, my child, I believe it is time I took you somewhere."

"The lower levels." Wanda failed to suppress a grin.

"Precisely." He said a conspiratorial twinkle in his eye. During the exchange, Logan hadn't uttered a word, remaining silent as they abandoned the kitchen and exited into the hall. A ways down the Professor stopped in front of a part of the wall that bulged out. After a moment it slid aside to reveal a circular elevator, the inside covered in large, flat cream tiles. Wanda hesitated whilst the two men entered. "It's alright." Xavier assured her, no doubt already aware of the cause of her uneasiness.

"I…I can't go in there." Wanda backed away, breathing heavily. Logan stared at her as if she were completely insane, which was only half right.

"…it's just an elevator." He stated the obvious, furrowing his brow.

"That is not the problem, Logan." Xavier explained. "It is what the interior reminds her of." Sceptical, Logan surveyed the elevator.

"Oh."

"It's something I've never noticed before though there is nothing I can do about it now, Wanda. You will just have to overcome your fear." She glanced at the white panels and shuddered slightly.

"That's easy for you to say." Taking a deep breath, Wanda quickly stepped in, the doors sliding shut and the elevator jerking to a start before it descended. She held her breath. Her heart raced frantically, blood pounding in her ears. It seemed to take an eternity for the doors to open again and in that time she could feel the straight jacket constricting her arms, pulling them up across her chest. Thankfully, as she stumbled out, everything returned to normal. After taking a moment to catch her breath she looked around and had to stop herself from gawking, twirling so she could take in the entire corridor, her coat tails failing out. It was very much as she would have imagined it to be, yet somehow, seeing it solidified made it far grander. She held in a smile, just. "I told you the strip lights would look better at the top and bottom." She said, gesturing at them with a scarlet tipped finger.

"So you did," Xavier stated exiting the elevator. "Though I believe that back than you also wanted them bright pink." Logan smirked.

"And encrusted with purple glitter." Wanda rolled her eyes slightly, the barest hint of a grin crossing her lips. "But that was a long time ago." She stated near to a whisper. There was a moment of silence before she continued. "Well, there's no backing out now, Charles." She started down a corridor that led to the left. "You said that you'd try and I fully intend to see that you do." After taking a good few steps Wanda realised she hadn't a clue where she was going and neither Xavier nor Logan were following.

"Are you coming?" Xavier called to her from the opposite direction. She stopped in her tracks before spinning round on her heel.

"I just wanted to see the med lab." She recovered quickly, pouting slightly with hands on hips. Down here every length of corridor looked identical. "But I guess that could wait till later." She sighed, returning at a leisurely pace with one hand still on her hip, heels clicking on the smooth floors. Logan flashed Wanda a barely concealed look of contempt before the three of them moved down the corridor, passing steel plated doorways and other passages that branched off of the one they were on. At the end was a circular doorway, with a large 'X' embellished on its front, a small blue sphere at its centre. A blue light from what must have been a retinal scanner crossed Xavier's eyes and after his identity was confirmed the doors unlocked, sliding apart.

"Welcome, Professor." A computer generated female voiced greeted as he entered, small lights on either side of a long gangway illuminating its length. When Xavier reached the end of the suspended platform, a light from above shone down onto him and a control panel. Still at the doors, Wanda gazed into the enormous, spherical room, the entire surface plated in black panels.

"It seems…bigger than I remembered." She stated, her voice echoing, as she walked down to where the Professor was. "Then again, I guess it wasn't even half finished when I was last down here." She realised Xavier was staring and cleared her throat. "What?"

"You've just grown…" He stopped mid-sentence. "It might be best if you leave, Wanda." Xavier continued, hardly missing a beat. "I will need all my concentration if I am to find a clue to your father's whereabouts." Wanda arched a slim eyebrow but left without saying a word. Logan stood waiting beyond the entrance and as she stepped out the doors shut heavily behind her, leaving Wanda alone with only this threatening stranger for company. She wasn't scared of him; she just doubted he had enough brain cells behind those fascinating green eyes to hold a conversation. Sighing slightly, she went to lean against the wall opposite but then –realising she was mimicking his stance- slid down to sit on the floor, legs bent in front of her. Tapping a finger against the slick, steel floor she nearly cringed as she caught a glimpse of herself reflected in the steel panelling. Her hair was scruffy at best and her clothes looked like she had been sleeping in them for a week, which wasn't far off.

"Isn't Logan a girl's name?" She mused aloud, inspecting her chipped nail varnish. He ignored her, instead taking out a slim, silver cigar case from the inner pocket of his jacket. Removing a brown cigar he placed it in his mouth, fetched a lighter that matched the case from his back pocket and lit up, proceeding to blow a huge cloud of opaque smoke in her direction. Wanda breathed in deeply, sucking up as much of it as she could. "You sure you're meant to be smoking down here?" She asked, despite the fact the last thing she wanted him to do was stop.

"Yer not a…_non-smoker_, are ya?" He said huskily, his tone saying he considered that parallel with being a mugger. He took another pull on the cigar, a huge cloud of smoke surrounding him as he exhaled.

"No," Wanda glared coldly. "It's just that I haven't had a cigarette since yesterday, so unless you're planning on giving me one I'd appreciate if you'd show a little common courtesy and not breath smoke right up my nose. I have no intension of satisfying my cravings with your leftovers."

"Women." Logan shook his head slightly, retrieving his cigar case. "'Please could I have one' would do just as well." He passed her one of the thin cigars and the lighter which, on closer inspection, showed a wolf's head engraved on either side. She thumbed it for a moment before placing the cigar between her lips and lighting up, inhaling deeply. Smoke tickled the back of her throat but she didn't care as long as it stopped her longing.

"Not bad." She mused -a little too croaky for her liking- as she exhaled. A while went by as she studied the engraving on the lighter.

"So, what's with all the black?" Logan asked out of the corner of his mouth, the ash riddled cigar occupying the rest of it.

"What's with the hair?" Wanda retorted. Logan's upper lip twitched and he turned his head to face the doors that led to Cerebro. Taping ash off the end of her cigar with one hand, the other played with the lighter, flicking it open then closed repeatedly. "So, does it hurt?" She asked before taking another pull.

"Does what hurt?" Logan crossed his arms over his chest, leaning his head against the wall. The remnants of his cigar were on the floor next to his boot.

"Those things, those…claws, do you have the ability to not feel pain? Cus if not…" Wanda trailed off as Logan lifted his head briefly before returning to his original position.

"Yeah, something like that." He replied curtly. After a moment Wanda laughed mirthlessly. It echoed off the cold metal walls.

"The _raging_ wolverine." She mused. "I thought you'd be a little less docile." Logan didn't bat an eye lid. "I thought that I might have found an equal in you, maybe not in strength, but I've heard your ferocity more than makes up for that. Or if not you than the weather witch. Yet imagine my utter disappointment when neither of you could even last one round." She stubbed her cigar out on the floor beside her. "In a way I suppose I'm sorry for showing up how pathetic you're training -even your powers- really are. But it was your own fault; you let your guard down."

"Not a real a _people person_, are ya?"

"Over a decade in an institution will do that to a girl. You learn that niceties and being _polite _gets you nowhere." Logan lowered his eyes slightly.

"So what's yer gift?" He mumbled after a while. "You can move things like Je…"He cleared his throat, neglecting to continue.

"It's hard to describe." Wanda shrugged. Following a moment of inspiration she lifted her left hand, which held the lighter, as it started to glow faintly. "Magneto used to say it had something to do with probability, that I could change it in my favour."

"What'd ya mean?" He asked seeming legitimately interested.

"Say it's really improbable that this lighter will open by itself and light up." On queue, it did just as she said, her hand remaining completely still. "Or that it will levitate out of my hand and float to you." Logan gingerly took the lighter from the air, examining it for brief moment. "But, if I don't control it, it…it's like the objects take on a life of their own." She waved a hand in the direction of the cigar stub by Logan's foot. All of a sudden it rushed up from the floor, bouncing off the ceiling then the wall above Wanda before hitting Logan between the eyes, finally disappearing down the corridor.

"Hey! What the hell do you think you're playing at?" Logan shouted moving forward, a clenched fist up in front of him. Wanda just smiled, shaking her head.

"I told you, I don't have any control over it." He seemed unconvinced, if nothing else looking more irate. "More often than not things I don't control…hurt people. Just be thankful that wasn't a door." Logan grunted but backed down. "So, how do you know my _wonderful _father?"

"Long story." He brushed the question off, placing the lighter back in his pocket. However, Wanda wasn't one to be easily deterred.

"It's not like Xavier's gonna be back any time soon." Still nothing. "Don't think you'll offend me by being malicious towards Magneto, anything you've thought about him, I've no doubt contemplated worse." Logan stared at her, cracking the knuckles on his left hand.

"Tried to kill a friend o'mine." He stated curtly, moving onto his right hand. Wanda contemplated asking the question 'You have friends?', but instead said:

"That's my dad." Logan scoffed and shook his head slightly. "What?" He looked her straight in the eyes.

"Ya act like yer so different from him, but the way I see it, yer no better. All you've done since you got here is trash a place a lot of kids call home, trying to get yer own way regardless of the people you hurt doing it. _Just_ like yer dear ol' dad." Wanda was on her feet in an instant.

"I'm _nothing_ like my father!" Her voice seethed venom. "_Nothing_!" She glared daggers at him, the fact that his face was unreadable only making her temper worse.

"If ya say so." Logan shrugged. Wanda tossed her head to the side, crossing her arms beneath her breasts whilst rapidly tapping her foot on the floor. She was not going to be provoked by this…this barbarian with a mullet that should have died in the eighties and the dress sense of a redneck on speed. Even if he was incredibly attractive in a dark, brooding kind of way. No, she couldn't get distracted. Not when she was this close. Turning on her heel, Wanda paced the corridor, eight steps either way.

By the time the steel doors opened and Charles came out of Cerebro looking haggard, she'd counted a total of seventy three steps. When he'd exited fully, Logan took up position next to his chair and without saying a word they started down the corridor towards the elevator. Easily catching up to them, Wanda was about to ask the inevitable question but the Professor cut in before her.

"I am afraid that your fath…that Eric has either vanished from the face of the planet or he is using his shielding to block Cerebro. As for his associates, I cannot find a trace of them either which leads me to believe that they are where ever Magneto is." He gave a long, shaky sigh. "I am afraid that for the moment there is nothing more I can do to locate him."

"So you're giving up? Just like that?" She asked, agitated.

"Until Eric or one of the others decides to resurface there is nothing else I can do." He replied plainly.

"Surely you must have some idea of where he's gone or what he might be doing. I mean come on; you were friends for longer than I've been alive."

"Wanda, your father and I may have been close once but we'd started to drift apart long before we found you or your brother. Both Eric and I have changed since we first met as young, idealistic men, though I can't say it has been for the better on his part."

"So what am I supposed to do? Just wait here, hoping that one of them slips up or he comes up with another scheme to achieve mutant supremacy?"

"Not precisely." Xavier inhaled deeply. "I get the feeling that he will show himself soon. It's already been six months since I last saw Eric at Alkaline Lake-" Logan missed a step, slowing for a brief moment, though the professor didn't seem to notice. "-so I have no doubt he will reappear soon. Until then you are more than welcome to stay here with us as long as you respect the rules that have been put in place and the other mutants residing under this roof."

"I'd rather not, if it's all the same to you. I'm not one for rules and I don't need your _charity_. I can take care of myself."

"Wanda, you have nowhere to go." He stated simply.

"How do you know! I could…" She trailed off. "No, of course, of course you know. Sneaking about in my head." She stopped in front of the elevator, as did he.

"I'm sorry Wanda, but you left me with no choice. I needed to know that if I let you stay, you wouldn't be a danger to anyone."

"You have no right! It's my head! How do you expect me to stay here when _I _can't trust _you_!"

"Wanda, I am the only person you can trust. You have to believe that I have your best interests at heart."

"My best interests? Was it in my best interest to put me away? I was a child, Charles. I had no idea what I was doing or how to control it."

"I know." He sighed. "I admit that I failed you and all I can do now is ask for your forgiveness and that you stay here so that perhaps I can find a way to rectify the mistakes of the past." She huffed, walking into the elevator. It was silent on the way up and she walked out onto the second floor as soon as the doors opened.

"Fine, I'll stay. But only if you answer me one question, no lies, no half truths." Xavier nodded.

"You have my word, ask anything you wish and I will answer it to the best of my ability."

"In all that time I was…I was in the…the institution. In all that time you never came to see me, not once. Why?" The professor studied her for a moment over steepled fingers, Logan regarding her just as intensely.

"I could lie and tell you that all my time was taken up by my students, my X-Men, but in truth I was simply afraid to admit that I was powerless to help you, that I'd fallen short so absolutely. You were a reminder of that and not visiting meant I didn't have to think about it." He looked her in the eyes. "I'm sorry Wanda, I truly am."

"It's too late for apologies, Charles. They aren't worth anything anymore."

"I know and I understand that you may never be able to forgive me, but I hope you will still let me help you to control your gifts. I wasn't able to help you then but I am confident that I have a far better chance now."

"Perhaps, Charles…perhaps." Wanda drummed her fingers on her arm. "But now all I really want is a shower and sleep. Whatever you did has left me feeling like I've been up all night and I have a killer headache to boot."

"Than that is what you shall have." He brightened slightly. "Feel free to use the room next to Logan's for as long as you like."

"Don't worry, I will." Wanda stated walking off down the corridor in what she hoped was the direction of the bedroom. It took her a little while but eventually she entered its musty air, closing the heavy doors behind her before leaning on them. "All this way for nothing." She sighed and pushed herself away from them. Unbuttoning her heavy coat, she placed it on the bed and started on her knee-length boots. Wanda meant to go in the shower, wash all her cares away, but her head steadily throbbed and the more she looked at the plush double bed, the more inviting it seemed.

"God I hope the bedding's been changed recently." She mumbled, climbing under the covers. Soon enough her breathing slowed into the rhythmic pattern that heralded sleep despite the fact the curtains where still wide open.

X-Mansion

21:04

After waking up and hurriedly switching on the light, Wanda groggily stumbled out of bed heading for the bathroom, leaving a trail of clothes in her wake. A small heap of jewellery piled on the grey floor tiles finished it off as –striped bare- she stepped into the shower, fiddling with the knobs till the temperature was near scalding. Water cascaded onto her somewhat greasy, black hair, down her back, her legs, till it reached the white basin, finally disappearing down the drain. Wanda rubbed at her face, the remnants of eyeliner and mascara leaking onto her cheeks. Yawning drowsily, she ran her fingers through her knotted tresses, lamenting the lack of attention she'd paid her appearance in the last few days. On a small, metal shelf, a basic range of beauty products were arranged, shampoo, shower gel, etc. suggesting that although the room looked unused it was still tended. Soapy suds scented with strawberries slid down her back as she shampooed her hair and got on with the arduous task of cleansing herself.

Almost an hour after she'd entered, Wanda emerged from the shower, clean and smelling a little too much like cheap lip gloss. Water dripped from her soaked body onto the floor tiles as she took a towel from the cabinet below the sink, drying herself off before wrapping it around her torso. Stifling another yawn, she walked to the bedroom, fetching her bag from the floor, taking out a comb and proceeding to detangle the length of her hair which reached more than half way down her back. After another half hour of primping, she decided it was probably best to get some sort of clothing on, the chill in the air more than noticeable. This was a good idea in principle apart from one small problem; her clothes were completely and utterly filthy.

Having no intention of getting back into the same outfit she'd been wearing for the past four days, she crept into the hall. There was no one about which made Wanda wonder how long she'd been asleep. She looked either way along the corridor but had no idea where to go. But wait, hadn't Xavier said that Logan's room was right next door? Smiling slightly, she tiptoed down the corridor, far from eager for any twelve year old adolescent to find her practically naked. Reaching the door she pressed her ear to its surface for a moment but, after hearing naught, decided simply to enter.

"Logan?" She called quietly. "Logan?" He didn't seem to be in the room and the lights were turned off. So she closed the door behind her and, after stumbling over what she hoped were just piles of clothes, found a lamp, switching it on. The room was a mess. You wouldn't have been able to figure out the colour of the carpet without kicking aside at least one item of clothing. The bedcovers were strewn half on, half off the double bed and the dresser was riddled with old plates and cigar ends. Wanda wrinkled her nose. "How can guys live like this?" She mused, disgusted. Even she had her disorderly moments, but this was just plain vile.

"What'd ya doing in here?" An irritated, male voice asked behind her. Wanda jumped round, only half remembering to grip her towel to prevent it falling. Logan stood in the doorway looking just a tad annoyed.

"Um, can I borrow a t-shirt?" She gave her very best doughy-eyed look whilst tilting her hips to one side. "All my clothes are dirty." She stated, full red lips pouting. Logan sighed, shaking his head slightly.

"Yer lucky I still have a clean one." He said, retrieving a black one from the large wardrobe and passing it to her.

"I guess it must be laundry day for you tomorrow." Wanda sniffed, surveying the room again. Logan scowled but said nothing. "Well, thanks." She said before tottering out of the room. Glancing back she caught Logan eyeing her hips, his gaze falling to the floor when he realised she'd seen him, and smiled slightly. Men were easy. Back in her bedroom she slipped out of the towel and into the loose fitting t-shirt which ended just below her bum, showing off the bottom of her black, hipster shorts then tidied up the clothes she'd left on the floor. Having slept the day away, she didn't feel like going back to bed, instead slipping down the corridor to the ground floor. On the way she noticed that the light in Logan's room was switched off, likely meaning he was asleep. The wooden floor was freezing beneath her feet as was the air around her, goose bumps covering her skin before long. The fact that her hair was still fairly wet didn't help either.

After wondering down the ground floor corridor a little while, she heard noise up ahead and soon reached what looked to be the living room. A boy with large eyes turned his attention away from the dazzlingly bright TV screen, regarding her.

"Can't sleep?" He asked.

"Um, just looking for the TV." She stated.

"What'd you wanna watch?"

"Dunno...erm, I know its lame but, the news?" The boy blinked, the screen changing from a man demonstrating the amazing uses of a grater on 'The Home Shopping Channel' to a woman wearing far too much blush sat behind a desk, the logo in the corner showing the letters 'CNN'.

"Thanks." Wanda smiled, going to sit beside him on the large sofa. The current news topic was that of some random celebrity being convicted on drugs charges. Big surprise.

"Who're you?" The boy inquired.

"I'm Wanda." She replied, not taking her eyes from the huge, glowing screen.

"Oh." He was silent for a little while. "The Professor said you were dangerous. You don't look dangerous." Wanda looked at him.

"He did, did he?" She smiled, turning her head face him. "What's your name, kid?"

"Eugene."

"Well, Eugene, you have nothing to fear from me. That before, that was just a little misunderstanding."

"Okay." He said simply as if he truly believed her. The news topic changed, this time it centred on a bombing in Brazil, the guilty party still unknown.

"So Eugene, why are you still up? Shouldn't you be asleep?"

"I don't sleep." The boy stated.

"Oh…that sucks." He shrugged and she turned her eyes back to the screen. "So, you mean, never?"

"Well, I used to sleep, and then I…changed. I could do things I couldn't do before but I couldn't sleep."

"Do you get tired?" From the corner of her eye she saw him shake his head.

"No."

"Well, I guess it aint so bad then."

"Yeah, I guess." He mumbled, though he didn't sound as if he meant it. The topic changed again, this time the article was about the winners of the super bowl.

"Hey, where can I get something to eat?" She inquired, her stomach suddenly reminding her she hadn't eaten the entire day.

"The kitchen's just down there." He pointed. "But if you want, I can get something for you, seeing as you're new and all."

"Um, yeah thanks, that'd be cool."

"So, what'd you want?" He asked, getting up.

"You have any ice cream?" Wanda inquired, ignoring the fact she should probably eat something healthy and that she was already quite cold.

"I think so." He nodded.

"Well, as long as it's chocolate or cookie dough, get me that."

"Sure." He said before heading out of the room. Alone, Wanda sat there, brushing up on her current events until the news story she had been waiting for came on.

'_In earlier news, David Everrit, current favourite to succeed president Johnson in next years election was in the senate today campaigning for mutant registration. He follows on from where Senator Kelly left off before his sudden change of view on the bill. No trace of the Senator has been found since his disappearance six months ago. Some think that he was killed by anti-mutant campaigners whilst the campaigners say it was mutants that first blackmailed Senator Kelly into changing his polices then murdered him, unsatisfied with his progress. The case goes on and the outcome may decide whether known mutants will be allowed to vote in the elections next May.' _

"Are either of those stories true?" Wanda asked Logan who'd appeared in the doorway halfway through the news item. He was dressed in nothing but a pair of grey-blue jogging pants, his toned chest bare.

"The last one was closer to the truth, but neither tells the real story." He replied, sitting close to Wanda in the spot Eugene had vacated.

"So what is the truth?" She asked. He looked at her, light from the TV reflected in his green eyes.

"The truth is yer dad tried to turn Kelly into a mutant, an' he did but something went wrong an' he melted."

"What? The Senator? Senator Kelly…_melted_?" She asked sceptically.

"Yeah, the process was unstable or somethin'." He sat forward, elbows on his knees, biceps tensed.

"Oh."

"That's why we had to stop Magneto on Liberty Island." Logan elaborated.

"Oh…why?"

"Cus he was gonna turn all the main leaders of the world into mutants at the summit." He replied as if it were the most obvious thing in the world.

"And if he had, they would have all_ melted_?"

"Bingo." He stated shortly, turning his gaze towards her.

"Huh." She exclaimed before deciding to search for the remote, finding it on the coffee table in front of the couch. Flicking through a few channels she found a re-run of Jerry Springer on 'Men Who Love Their Mothers' and folded her legs up onto the couch to gain a more comfortable position.

"So, does the t-shirt fit okay?" He asked, eyeing her slightly, from over his shoulder.

"Yeah, thanks." She barely suppressed a grin.

"S'okay." He nodded slightly, turning his attention back to the screen.

"Wait," She started, a sudden wave of inspiration hitting her. "If Senator Kelly died before the incident on Liberty Island how come he only disappeared two months after that?"

"Mystique was impersonating him." He stated shortly, sitting back.

"So that's why he became all mutant friendly." Her lip curled. "_Mystique_." Every ounce of contempt she had for the woman was evident in the way Wanda hissed her name.

"I'm guessing that you're not a fan of hers." He stated the obvious.

"You could say that." It was silent between them for a moment. On the screen Jerry was talking to a man as skinny as he was tall and ugly to boot

"Hey, Logan." Eugene greeted as he entered the room, a pint of ice cream in one hand, a spoon in the other.

"Eugene." He returned inclining his head slightly as the boy handed both items to Wanda. Upon closer inspection, she discovered the ice cream was not only chocolate flavoured but Ben and Jerry's 'Phish Food'.

"You did good, kid." Wanda praised, lifting the lid to reveal the dark, creamy surface.

"Can't sleep?" The boy asked Logan.

"Naw. An' ya know how much I like these late nights we have, kid." Eugene nodded, sitting on the couch beside Wanda who was fully engrossed in taking a spoonful of the velvety substance. On the TV, a large woman with a bad perm and a nose that simply protruded at best was trying to get past the security guards to an older woman, in her sixties wearing a skin tight, red, lycra dress that, unfortunately, left nothing to the imagination.

"Men Who Love Their Mothers…" Logan mused aloud.

"Gotta love the Jerry." Wanda said after swallowing another spoon full of Phish food.

"I've seen it." Eugene stated.

"You can change if you want." Wanda mumbled the loaded spoon halfway to her mouth. The boy blinked, the screen changing several times before he left it on something, but even that was only for a couple of seconds before the channel hopping process started anew. Wanda stretched out her slender legs, leaning them on the coffee table. Logan glanced at them for the briefest of seconds and Wanda bent the one nearest him slightly, her foot arched. "So," She addressed Logan, his gaze quickly returning to the TV. "How did you come to know Professor Charles Xavier? How'd you become an X-Man?" He regarded her before returning his gaze to the TV.

"Bout eight months ago, Sabretooth attacked me an' Rogue." He scratched the stubble on his chin. "He knocked me unconscious an' then I woke up here, in the med bay."

"You got beaten by Sabretooth?" She smirked, placing the considerably lighter ice cream tub on the glass coffee table, the spoon next to it, her eyes on the screen in front of her.

"I'd just been in a car crash." He retorted gruffly, furrowing his brow.

"Yeah, but he's really no more than a mindless pet." She trailed a hand down her thigh, his gaze following it as he mumbled:

"Mindless, but that bub's strong." His eyes returned to Wanda's face and he crossed his hands over his muscular chest. "Anyway, I got my own back."

"Showed him whose boss did you? Or should I say, _top dog_." She said the last part in a whisper, resting her hand on her bent knee. He carried on, seeming not to notice.

"When Storm, Cyclops and-"

"Cyclyops?" Wanda broke in, whipping round to face him. "You mean Scott? Scott Summers?"

"You know that dick?"

"He's not a _dick_." Her legs dropped from the table to the floor. "At least he wasn't before. How is he?" She leant towards him. "_Where_ is he?"

"When Je…he left the mansion not long after we last saw your dad, said it was too painful for him to stay." He shrugged, plainly wanting to avoid the subject. "Only Chuck knows where he's gone an' he aint telling."

"Why would it be too painful for him too stay?" She carried on, dismissing his evasion. "Did you do something to him?" Wanda interrogated harshly.

"I didn't _do_ nothing." He said defensively, suddenly off the couch and on his feet. "He's gone…he's gone cus…look, if you got so many questions, why the hell don't you just ask the professor. I don't have time for a trip down memory lane." Logan stalked out of the room, disappearing down the hall. Wanda watched him go but made no attempt to stop him, if he wanted to act like a child that was his decision.

"Can I have the rest of your ice cream?" Eugene asked, completely unfazed by the entire exchange, hardly taking his eyes of the TV screen.

"Yeah." She replied after a while, looking away from the corridor. "Yeah sure, I'm not hungry anymore." It didn't take her long to decide to go back to bed, it was freezing downstairs and as always, there was nothing on. At least those were the reasons she told herself. Passing Logan's door she noted that his light was off but convinced herself that she didn't care. That he could rot in hell. Curled up under her blanket, she stared at the ceiling until fatigue finally shut her eyes and she drifted off to sleep, never hearing the footsteps that paused outside her door.

Adamantiumclaws: Thankies hun. The sentinels are on their way, don't worry ur pretty head and as for Peitro, he's definitely coming to but not for some time and it might still be a few chapters before I can bring in Gambit cus rogues gonna have to do sum changing before than. Hope you like da new chappy!

Ranting Fool: You planning on any more fics J?

Darkstorm5000: Hope you like this chappy, as for the other inhabitants of the x-masion they're gonna have a role in this fic but I'm not certain how big right now.

Ragincajunlover: I know! The whole bobby rogue thing is just awful and trust me, there will be some bobby bashing next chapter but I hope this is cool for now.

You c that lil button down there? Push it!


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